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Topic: A lesson in irony. (Read 2737 times)

The Food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing the greatest amount of free meals and food stamps ever.

Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us to "Please Do Not Feed the Animals."Their stated reason for the policy is because the animals will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves.

This ends today's lesson.

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Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called “the government.” They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

I have two kids and my girlfriend works full time at a library. I've been working for 20 years in construction around Seattle. Our company got hit a few years ago and every one lost their jobs. Now, because I'm on the C list in my union I can't get any work from there because I have to wait for the 1200 people in front of me to go to work. I can't get scab work because every one else is trying to get it.

My unemployment ran out several months ago. No one will hire me (even now) because my last job was making over $40/h and they rather hire the guy who isn't used to making $1200/w. I'm on state assisted food stamps and am doing everything I can to support my family in what ever ways I can. I work both above and below the table doing every and anything I can get my hands on but the bills (which aren't inflated.. I have no debt, we own both our cars and we do a very good job at cooking and eating at home) just never seem to be less than the income.

I hate being on food stamps. Every month when I go shopping and I have to swipe EBT I feel a little more dead inside.

This has not taught me to be dependent on state assistance, it has taught me to loath it. However, some times there is just nothing that can be done and people need a little bit of help. I'm sorry you feel it's all a joke, and I very much wish you never have to know the reality of it.

paindragon1, You are now in phase 1. When you quit feeling remorse and feel deserving, you will be in phase 2. When your kids become adults and don't remember their parents having jobs, they just know where the sign up office is, they will be in phase 3.

It's the phase 3 people we are laughing at, not the phase 1.

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"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

This has not taught me to be dependent on state assistance, it has taught me to loath it. However, some times there is just nothing that can be done and people need a little bit of help. I'm sorry you feel it's all a joke, and I very much wish you never have to know the reality of it

you are probably not the lady in the muumuu in front of me with 4 kids, 5 bags of chips, sugar coated cereal, and 3 liters of pop.

assistance is made for those to whom SH. it is not meant to be a life style choice. it is also not meant to be a vote buying tool.

you do not deserve to have my money just because SH. however, the government will take from me and give to you...they take what i would, and do, gladly give...because i don't want to see people starving in the street and i know very will that S does H.

it's not really laughter you hear. it's frustration that we have gone from a people who help those in need, to a government who steals from one to give to another. i don't blame you for that. you take advantage of what is available, as any family would.

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.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called “the government.” They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

I am sorry about your situation. I have no problem with people getting a hand up when life knocks them down. Maybe its time for a career change? I think Iddee's point is the one that grates on many of us. I have seen first hand many abuses of the welfare/food stamp system. In two of the cases we opened our home up to different families to live with us while they got "back on track." In both cases the waste was appalling - good food tossed out cavalierly because they "don't do left overs" or "it's no big deal". A silver lining was that our chickens were well fed then. These folks weren't asked to pay a dime toward rent, nor utilities, nor asked to do chores. Nor did they offer. Their attitude toward me and my family eventually turned to disdain. Why, I am not completely sure. But it definitely was a piece of the entitlement mentality. Needless to say these experiences were eye openers. I would open my house again, but it will be different next time. They will be asked to pay what they can afford for rent, and help with the utilities at the least. I am hoping this will head off the condescension...

Not everyone who gets assistance becomes dependent on it. But there is a not so small segment that do, and thus the irony in the original post.

While a business man I interviewed prospective employees who asked to be paid only in cash because they were already drawing disability checks. One man with multiple IDs was drawing multiple disability checks as a resident from multiple states. He even had the audacity to advised me that if hired he would need to be absent from work for a week to 10 days at a time each month to make an appearance before his case worker in Maine where one of his phony IDs, addresses, or bank accounts was located.

Meanwhile the average salary and benifits of a Federal Government Civilian employee is over $80,000 while that same employees' tax free benifits cost over $50,000. Beleave me, after an employer meets all his reglatory burden, and pays every local, state, and federal fee and tax owed, there is just not enough money left anymore to pay a good wage to those of us left footing the bill or doing the work. However be of good cheer, the Federal agency that runs SNAP or the former Food Stamp Program is the poorest paid of all Federal employees, making on average only about 1,300 per week plus benifits.

Well, I typed in King Bee to see if the King is on the Dole. I didn’t find a King Bee listed, but I did find a Dominique Bee that makes $123K at the Department of Homeland Security. Is that you Kingbee :-D

OK, interesting link Kingbee. Thanks for posting. I also see that we can thank your buddy Dubya for wasting so much money on the DHS. DHS the gift that keeps giving….

Nobody I know is on the dole, so I decided to peruse Kingbees link and check out the salaries for a few groups. The “Arctic Research Commission” looked like an interesting group to check up on. Boy was that sickening. We’re wasting $155K for 7 of the 8 people on this commission! The low man on the totem pole is only making $100K. And how many weeks a year off do these Fed employees get on top of their outrageously high salaries? What pray tell does the Arctic Research Commission do?

I know y’all think I’m one of those good old liberals, but I hate to see money wasted on people who don’t need it :(

... interesting link Kingbee. Thanks for posting. I also see that we can thank your buddy Dubya for wasting so much money on the DHS... I decided to peruse Kingbees link and check out the salaries for a few groups. The “Arctic Research Commission” looked like an interesting group to check up on. Boy was that sickening. We’re wasting $155K for 7 of the 8 people on this commission! ... And how many weeks a year off do these Fed employees get on top of their outrageously high salaries? What pray tell does the Arctic Research Commission do?...

To answer your last questions first, the Arctic Research Commission undoubtedly holds a stop watch on drowning Polar Bears until they have been under the waves long enough that it is safe to drag old bruin from his watery grave and give him or her mouth to mouth rescue breathing. :-D

Don't forget to add that 50K average per year in tax free fringe benefits Blue (I mean BlueBee).In business an employee who makes lets say $20 per hour in salary MUST produce $60 or more per hour in income for the business just to cover the over head of that employee's job. So a Federal employee making $195,000 per year in salary and benefits can eat up $600k or more just to keep him in copy paper, gem clips and hot secretaries. So the salary is not even the largest of the costs of his employment. The best that we the poor tax payer can hope for is that all 8 of these Arctic Commissioners will just not show up for work until it is time for them to retire and collect their "Gold" watch and "Platinum" parachute.

My friend, if you think that the Arctic Research Commission is a snow job, just you wait till the Affordable Health Care Act is fully implemented. It will end up being the blizzard of the century.

I have a house for rent and had a couple come by today to look at it. They wanted to know if I would have a problem with their income: 1 gets SS and the other unemployment. Of coarse they also had a bunch of kids; needed 4 beds, 2 baths. No evidence of any real work in years. I didn’t see much life or ambition in their eyes; it was sad :( Maybe I’ll get lucky and some right wing hard working beek that will want to rent my place. Any takers :-D

Give it to them rent free and they will vote for obummy for you. :evil: :-D

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"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

Maybe our right wing beeks actually get it right once in a blue moon...I have a house for rent and had a couple come by today to look at it... 1 gets SS and the other unemployment... I didn’t see much life or ambition in their eyes; it was sad...

Don't forget, "They also serve, who only stand and take!" So you should be honored that your payroll taxes are increasing by 35% in January to help stick it to those greedy one percenters. And you should feel grateful that Obama has bestowed upon you the privledge of ponying up his new 3.5% realestate sales tax to enrich the lives of your new tenants once they wreck the place and you are forced to sell it because repairs are too expensive. Of course they may make the best tenants in the world. Are you beginning now to see the need to make a profit so you can weather the storms of outrageous fotune without joining this unfortunate couple on the dole?